shavuot

• hebrew word for 'weeks'
• in torah g-d commanded that a festival celebrating the first fruits being harvested should be held seven weeks after festival of passover
• meaning:

  festival about celebrating the moment when g-d gave the torah to moses on mount sinai and it shows how g-d did not simply choose the jews but they also chose g-d as they had accepted him
• SOWA:

  " must count until the day after the seventh week" (lev 23:16)
• mikveh: spiritual rebirth

  • ritual bath for men to prepare themselves
  • feel spiritually refreshed and ready
• decorating home w/ flowers:

  • when torah was given on mount sinai was said to be the whole mountain was bloomed
  • recalls this moment through decorations
  • recalls it is a spring/summer harvest festival
• dairy foods eaten:

  theory is jews were waiting for g-d to give them all the food laws at the foot of mount sinai but simply ate dairy foods to be on the safe side

  • symbolise promised land of israel
• dairy food: said by g-d to be 'flowing with milk and honey'
• tikkun:

  • study torah all night to show that there is no need for g-d to bring them to their senses unlike their sleepy ancestors on mount sinai
  • said to be "fixing mistake of their ancestors"
  • jews recommit to g-d and his commandments
• converting to judaism:

  • embrace converts into judaism, keeping up with the story of ruth who was a convert
  • study jewish theology rituals, practices, etc.